


But Life Isn't Fair

by Dziude



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, F/M, Memories, Might Have Been, One Shot, Romance, Snapshots, Wedding Planning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-17
Updated: 2018-07-17
Packaged: 2019-06-12 04:58:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15332304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dziude/pseuds/Dziude
Summary: Time marches on, the world does not stop, but sometimes take a moment to look at those close to you. Small secrets may be discovered among the everyday bustle of life.





	But Life Isn't Fair

**Author's Note:**

> A/N : Yet another old thing from cleaning out my computer. It had been once intended to be part of a longer fic I'll never get round to now. See endnotes if there is any confusion. Thanks for reading- do let me know any comments. Oh and apologies of title/summary, I just pulled something out of the air.

November 2063.

The last minute wedding preparations were in full swing and the Burrow was packed, surpassing even the everyday chaos expected in the Weasley household. Hermione had finally taken refuge in the tool shed after dodging several rows, a small explosion and an unfortunate encounter with an enraged, champagne covered feline. Further anarchy was perhaps inevitable, but she was determined to finish her share of the table decorations before anything else happened.

Focused on her task, she was unaware that someone had been regarding solemnly from the doorway until, a voice piped up to break the silence.

"Aunt Hermione, why did you never get married?" The question was blunt but light. The embodiment of teenage curiosity, bright and sharp but without malice, forcefully reminding Hermione of Ginny in that moment.

"Muriel! I- oh. " She let out a long breath. "What are you doing out here?"

"Aunty Fleur threw everyone out of the kitchen. The boys were being silly." Scuffed shoes kicked petulantly against the doorframe Hermione could practically hear the disgusted eye-rolling. "She got all huffy and said weddings are really important, and we'd understand when we're grownups. You never got married though, did you Aunty?"

"Yes, well- sometimes things happen, my dear. It's wonderful when people fall in love and get married."

"But didn't you ever want to, Aunty?"

Weasleys. Like a dog with a bone. Hermione cleared her throat.

" Oh, perhaps I would have, once. But he....died. A long time ago, now. In the war." She didn't immediately turn away from the candles floating over the workbench, though her voice was steady. Silver glitter was swirling rapidly through the air to settle onto the frosted wax in icy patterns. " Your great-granny would've set me up with half the country if I'd let her, afterwards. I suppose... well, it wasn't the same. He was a very... unique person. I made some wonderful friends of course."

Finally, she sent the last ornaments soaring gracefully into several nearby boxes. When she turned, her tone was brisk, but if her expression was wistful, Muriel wasn't given time to query anything further.

"Finished! Now young lady, never you mind old ghosts- give me hand with these boxes. If we don't get this lot in place before the rehearsal, your sister might have us considering our own mortality."

******

The happy couple spun slowly in the middle of the floor, surrounded by soft lights that hovered and sparkled like balls of molten ice. Like a winter's dream- something out of the fairytales she had read when she was little. The pavilion was decorated beautifully- all silver, blue and white- but they only had eyes for each other.  
  
Her mum sat beside her, smiling tremulously and dabbing furiously at her moist eyes. She was not the only one. Quite a few others were smiling and sniffling around the room as they watched the first dance. Muriel fidgeted, wondering how much longer until she could escape. Sure, it was all very lovely and romantic, but the speeches and everything else had already gone on for ages, and the stiff embroidery on her party robes was making her arms itch. She looked towards Bilius and Septimus, trapped at a table nearby, but they stuck their tongues out and she looked away with a huff. Clowns.  
  
She gazed around the room instead, trying to count the iridescent globes and candles that bobbed overhead.

In all the fuss, she hadn't seen Aunt Hermione since the ceremony, but now she was seated quietly by one of the far pillars. Apparently, she hadn't managed to banish all the spare glitter earlier - rogue sparks twinkled brightly against the soft blue of her dress robes and the mass of iron-grey hair pinned efficiently behind her neck. She too was watching the bride and groom with misty eyes, but the faraway look on her face reminded Muriel of last night's conversation. She turned to her mother.  
s  
"Ma? Psst, Ma! Why do you think Aunty Hermione never get married?"

"I don't know, dear" came the absent reply. Her mother's eyes were still fixed on the dancers. "I suppose she didn't want to, after your Great Uncle Ron died."

"But the battle was such a long time ago Mum-"

"Battle? Gracious, Murie, whatever are you talking about? Ronald died in a broom accident. Years after the war - not very long before your brother was born. Now do stop fidgeting and be at peace. "

"But -"

Whatever Muriel could have asked next was lost as the dreamy music finally ended to a riot of applause and shouted congratulations. Family and guests surged forwards to join the happy couple, but she could still see Hermione Granger, sparkling quietly amidst the din, lost in her own memories.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N:  
> This takes place 2063, Hermione is 85- not ancient for a witch perhaps but certainly getting old. Severus Snape was killed at the Battle of Hogwarts 02/05/1998. Muriel is intended to be the great granddaughter of Ginny & Harry, daughter of one of Lily Luna Potter's children, however I never wrote further to elaborate on this. I suppose her to be about 12 or 13 here. Aunt/Aunty etc may denote close ties but not actual blood or marriage relation.


End file.
